Benefits

The Benefits tab appears on revenue records for pledges, recurring gifts, and payments. Benefits are gifts your organization gives to a constituent, depending on the revenue received from the constituent. Typically, the appeal used to solicit the payment automatically specifies the benefits the constituent receives. For example, when a constituent makes a payment in response to a phonathon, you may send them a free shirt or newsletter as thanks for the payment. When you add or edit a payment, you can enter or update the benefits the constituent receives for the payment.

When you give benefits to a constituent in response to revenue the constituent provides, you can record the benefits on the revenue record. Calculating the benefits package’s monetary amount is important. For example, receipts for all payments associated with a benefits package should take into account the monetary value of the benefits received. When your organization gives a T-shirt and button to a constituent, the cost to your organization may be $15. When you add a benefit to a payment, add benefit details specific to the payment to calculate the total value of the benefits the constituent receives.

You can base the value of a benefit on a monetary amount or a percentage of the transaction amount. The benefit value can account for a difference between an initial gift amount and how much of that gift is tax-deductible. To view the information about the benefits a constituent receives for revenue, select the Benefits tab.

Under Benefits, information about the benefits associated with the revenue appears, including the quantity of each benefit the constituent receives, the unit and total values of each benefit based on a monetary amount, the applicable amount and percent value for benefits based on a percentage of the transaction amount, and any notes about the benefits. You enter this information when you add the benefit to the revenue.

For information about how to edit the benefits for the transaction, refer to Edit the Benefits for Revenue.

Note: When you apply a payment to an outstanding commitment, the benefits associated with the commitment automatically apply to that amount of the payment. To change the benefits associated with a commitment, edit the benefits from the commitment or its payment record.

Note: Some benefits may have a value equal to a percentage of the revenue amount. When you add revenue and add benefits, the value of benefits is calculated and deducted from the receipt amount.